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The nation’s health ministers are grappling with the controversial issues of refugee health coverage cuts and physician-assisted suicide as they gather for two days of meetings in Toronto.

After the first day of talks, provincial and territorial ministers formed a united front in asking Ottawa to reverse cuts made last year to the federal health program for refugees.

“We collectively are very concerned about the federal government’s cuts to refugee health coverage. We are calling on the federal government to revoke the decision,” said Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews, who is hosting her counterparts.

Quebec Health Minister Réjean Herbert said cuts to refugee health benefits are forcing his province to pick up the slack to the tune of $4.7 million annually. Manitoba Health Minister Theresa Oswald pegged the cost to her province at up to $1 million annually, while Matthews said it is costing Ontario $20 million annually.

“It gets tougher and tougher on provinces,” Oswald said.

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Federal Health Minister Rona Ambrose gave no indication that her government plans to budge, but she did hint at the possibility of reimbursing the provinces for extra costs they are incurring.

“If it is an issue of cost that is not covered . . . I have asked the provinces to detail those to me and I will take a look at them,” she said.

“I will take part in the conversation. It is an important conversation to have. (But) as far as the federal government goes, we held a vote in parliament and it was clear and at this point we have no intention of changing our position,” she said, referring to a 2010 vote.

The respected microbiologist, who played a central role in Canada’s 2003 SARS crisis, died from a brain tumour on Sept. 18 at age 68.

Matthews credited Low for triggering a national discussion on the issue of physician-assisted suicide. While provincial and territorial health ministers did discuss it, there far from a consensus of opinion, she said.

“I have to say that I think Dr. Low would be tickled pink by what is happening because this is the conversation he wanted to spark,” she said.

Meanwhile, Ambrose said her government is closing “loopholes” in a special access program that allowed heroin to be prescribed. The move follows her discovery last month that her department issued 16 approvals for the use of prescription heroin to a group of B.C. heroin addicts.

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